iWriterly Video: Types of Character Arcs

Learn a few examples of different types of character arcs in this iWriterly AuthorTube video with Meg LaTorre.

One of the biggest draws to stories—of any medium—are characters. So many of us want to follow the journeys of individual characters whose personalities or situations we find compelling. The biggest disappointment I often have at the end of a book, television show, or movie is a lack of character growth or change at the end of the story. In other words, the protagonist or main cast of characters lack a proper character arc.

A character arc is the inner journey of a character over the course of a story. Since we are iWriterly, we will talk about novels. It isn’t the complete change of a character, but rather their growth. If the principal characters don’t grow and adapt to the changes happening as the plot unfolds, a story can’t develop organically.

The plot is the sequence of events in a story that draws the reader into the characters’ lives and gives context for the choices they make. Within this sequence of events is where the character arc needs to/should happen. In my opinion, in order to understand character arcs, we must first understand plot development.

Published by Meg LaTorre

Meg LaTorre is a writer of adult science fiction and fantasy, YouTuber, developmental book editor, writing coach, creator of the free query critique platform, Query Hack, and former literary agent with a background in magazine publishing, medical/technical writing, and journalism. To learn more about Meg, visit her website: www.iWriterly.com.
View all posts by Meg LaTorre